provide economy rooms for travelers on long-distance trips. The product in each of these cases is more than just the room, and the target market for each of these properties is very different for the market for the other, yet both are part of the hospitality industry. Understanding the product and the market at which it is aimed is what determines the marketing message and method of disseminating the message.
The authors also stress the importance of having and taking initiative. It is not enough to recognize the product of a hotel, nor to recognize how best to communicate the benefits of the property to the public. A hotel sales executive must be able to find new ways to increase occupancy, room rates and expenditures. If a property is running at 100 percent occupancy, then the sales manager and staff should focus on how to maximize rates. If occupancy is lagging, the sales staff need to focus on how to increase those figures. This requires taking initiative.
In some cases, the initiative may consist of introducing oneself to business travelers and
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